[mar]

Hey. I'm planning to take associate degree nursing in Texas. I'm 23 and I'm a Canadian, and I want to work there after I finish school. I also have plans that maybe later, I might continue that education, maybe towards administration. So I'm open to any advises and tips.

[nursinghumor]

The field is wide open.

Apply soon, and apply to a few schools. Waiting lists are very common nowadays with people waiting up to two years to get into a nursing program.

Once you've got a license, you should be able to find a job quickly as long as your immigration status is in order.

Once you've got some experience, you'll find lots of different types of nursing to try and experiment with.

These articles might guide you.
http://www.nursefriendly.com/views/

Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.4nursing.com

[SteveD]

hey man, good for you. what area of nursing do you wanna get into? keep us posted with how things are going. -steve

[nursinghumor]

If you're planning on ending up in nursing administration, consider going through a BSN program that gives you a four year degree after graduation.

BSNs tend to move faster up the career ladder than nurses with diploma or ADN degrees.

Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.4nursing.com

[Norm F]

There are many options available for funding your education, especially since you are planning on remaining in the states. Do not forget to check out the NLN web page and military sites for scholarship information. Let me be one of the first to welcome you to the profession.

[nursinghumor]

If you're planning on working in Canada, I'd check with the Canadian Nursing Associations to find out what rules apply to US trained nurses working in Canada.

Among other things, you need to be fluent in French. Since you're Canadian, maybe that is not an issue.

How long are you planning on working in the US before you go back to Canada?

Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.4nursing.com

[mar]

my plan is that after i finish that program i want to work in the US for good, that's why i wanted to study nursing in the US instead of Canada

Martin

[nursinghumor]

I'd get the ball rolling ASAP. Get in to school, graduate and get out. An ADN program will work, a BSN will be better if you plan on going to administration, furthering your education.

It will be much more difficult in a few years to get into programs as we're having a severe nursing faculty shortage in this country.

Getting a job afterwards won't be a problem once you're legal to work in the US.

Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.4nursing.com

[mar]

Thanks for the advises. I still have a little bit of a dilemma regarding my chosing to go into nursing. My father was the one that really helped me in chosing that career, he worked in the hospital for 20 years as a psychologist and he knows a lot about medicine and working in the hospital environment, and I also finished 7 month ECG Technician course, so I know a little bit about healthcare too, but my mother is a different story she pretty much doesn't know anything about healthcare, only that it costs a lot to get one, so she and some of her friends just doubt me all the time, if that's the right choice, or even if I'll make it through the program, or that during the program it'll come out that this thing is not for me, and her point is because of my personality that I'm quiet, or being shy a bit, or not being good enough in communication with people. I've been trying to change that for the past year, and I know that it's something to work on, but I don't think that I should just listen to my mother and forget about this career.

Martin

[cassioo]

I have 2 males in the class of 32 nursing students I'm doing clinical instruction for a few more males adds a bit of different insight to the program. There is nothing wrong with shy maybe some of it is age and there is a difference between social shy and work shy. If it's what you want to do go for it. I was shy once in my life but I've gotten over that